PREVALENCE OF ALLERGIES

ACCORDING to the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology, one out of three Malaysians suffers from some form of allergy.

Children with parents who have allergies also have a 50-80 per cent chance of developing an allergy but parents and child care providers may lack relevant knowledge on the importance of a conducive indoor environment for the development of children.

Infants spend most of their time in the crib, breathing in twice the amount of air as compared to an adult. Thus, indoor air quality should not be taken lightly as infants spend between eight and 20 hours a day indoors.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, newborn babies under sixweeks-old take in 30-60 breaths per minute (compared to 14-16 breaths per minute for adults). That is up to 86,400 breaths per day — three times the respiration rate of adults.

Clean air is a priority as their respiratory tracks are more vulnerable, their immune systems are weaker and their brains are still developing.

As a child starts developing stronger muscular strength and starts crawling and subsequently rising to his feet, his sense of curiosity and exploration grows.

As they crawl on the floor, learn to walk with the support of the walls and put things into their mouths, they become more vulnerable to indoor surface pollutants. As such, it becomes a priority to ensure that they are protected from the dangers of bacteria, mould and viruses.